FRC  CIS Football Top 10 (#6): Major upsets shake up national poll

OTTAWA (CIS) – The seven-time defending Quebec champion
Laval Rouge et Or, now the only undefeated team in the country, top
the Football Reporters of Canada – CIS rankings for the fifth
straight week.

The Rouge et Or, who occupy the No. 1 spot for the 52nd time in 56
polls dating back to the start of the 2005 campaign, improved to
5-0 in conference play on Sunday thanks to a convincing 46-10 home
win over Concordia (2-3) in front of 15,952 fans at PEPS
Stadium.

Laval, which received all 43 first-place votes for its second
unanimous No. 1 selection of the fall, will face a serious test on
Saturday when it visits archrivals, the No. 7 Montreal Carabins
(4-1). Montreal is the only Quebec team to beat the Rouge et Or
since the start of 2004 (three times in 14 matchups), including a
28-7 win at CEPSUM Stadium in 2009.

The highly-anticipated contest is televised live on Radio-Canada at
1 p.m.

The Carabins, however, were one of two Top-3 teams to be upset over
the past weekend, along with the Ottawa Gee-Gees (5-1). Both teams
drop four positions in the new poll to No. 7 and No. 6,
respectively, after Montreal lost 39-21 at then-No. 8
Bishop’s (4-1) and Ottawa was shocked 40-35 by Toronto
(2-3).

The No. 2 Calgary Dinos (4-1), No. 3 Western Ontario Mustangs (5-1)
and No. 4 Regina Rams (4-1) all move up two spots this week. It
marks Regina’s best ranking since they spent three straight
weeks in fourth place in September of 2002 (Sept. 17, 23, 30).

Bishop’s is the week’s biggest winner gaining three
positions following its impressive defeat of Montreal. The No. 5
Gaiters reach the national Top 5 for the first time since they were
ranked No. 2 on Sept. 15, 1998.

Calgary, Regina and Saskatchewan all head into the Canada West bye
week, while Western also enjoys a break in the OUA.

In addition to the Laval-Montreal duel, No. 10 Laurier visits No. 6
Ottawa on Saturday (Rogers TV, tape delayed to 2 p.m. & 8 p.m.)
for the only other Top-10 matchup of the coming weekend.

No. 1 Laval (5-0): Top 10 ranking: No change...
Last week: 46-10 home win over Concordia (2-3)... This week: Visit
No. 7 Montreal (4-1) on Saturday (Radio-Canada, 1 p.m.)...
Heads-up: Laval is 14-3 overall against Montreal since the Carabins
joined the QUFL in 2002, including a 2-1 head-to-head record last
season (30-8 home win and 28-7 road loss in conference play, 31-7
home win in Dunsmore Cup final)...

No. 2 Calgary (4-1): Top 10 ranking: Up two
positions... Last week: 33-16 home win over UBC (1-4)... This week:
Bye week in Canada West...

No. 3 Western (5-1): Top 10 ranking: Up two
positions... Last week: 46-10 home win over Queen’s (1-4)...
This week: Bye...

No. 4 Regina (4-1): Top 10 ranking: Up two
positions... Last week: 40-8 home win over Alberta (2-3)... This
week: Bye week in Canada West...

No. 5 Bishop’s (4-1): Top 10 ranking: Up
three positions... Last week: 39-21 home win over then-No. 3
Montreal (4-1)... This week: Visit Sherbrooke (2-3) on Friday...
Heads-up: The Gaiters, who are 4-7 overall against cross-town rival
Sherbrooke since the Vert & Or joined the QUFL in 2003
(including a 25-20 road loss in 2009), are vying for a fifth
straight win for the first time since 2007, when they also lost
their season opener against Concordia before racking up five
consecutive victories...
No. 6 Ottawa (5-1): Top 10 ranking: Down four positions...
Last week: 40-35 loss at Toronto (2-3)... This week: Host No. 10
Laurier (3-2) on Saturday (Rogers TV Cable 22 – tape delayed
to 2 p.m. & 8 p.m.)... Heads-up: Ottawa is 5-6 overall against
Laurier since rejoining the Ontario conference in 2001 but the
Gee-Gees are 4-1 head-to-head since 2006, including a 27-25 road
win in the lone 2009 duel...

No. 7 Montreal (4-1): Top 10 ranking: Down four
positions... Last week: 39-21 loss at then-No. 8 Bishop’s
(4-1)... This week: Host No. 1 Laval (5-0) on Saturday
(Radio-Canada, 1 p.m.)... Heads-up: Since the start of the 2004
season, Montreal is 3-11 against Laval while the four other Quebec
teams are a combined 0-44 versus the Rouge et Or...

No. 8 Saskatchewan (3-2): Top 10 ranking: Up one
position... Last week: 64-3 home win over Manitoba (1-4)... This
week: Bye week in Canada West...

No. 9 McMaster (4-2): Top 10 ranking: Down two
positions... Last week: 64-6 win at York (0-5)... This week: Host
Guelph (3-2) on Thursday (Cable 14, 7 p.m.)... Heads-up: Five of
the six matchups between McMaster and Guelph since 2005 have been
decided by four points or less including a 32-29 Marauders win in
2009, a 32-31 win in 2008, a 25-21 playoff loss and a 37-36
conference win in 2007, and a 22-20 loss in 2005 (McMaster won
43-27 in 2006)...

No. 10 Wilfrid Laurier (3-2): Top 10 ranking:
Unranked last week... Last week: 36-2 home win over then-No. 10
Guelph (3-2)... This week: Visit No. 6 Ottawa (5-1) on Saturday
(Rogers TV Cable 22 – tape delayed to 2 p.m. & 8 p.m.)...
Heads-Up: After starting the season 0-2, Laurier is looking to win
a fourth straight game for the first time since the Hawks ended the
2008 regular season with five victories and won their first contest
in the playoffs...

The Football Reporters of Canada – University Division
represents journalists and broadcasters in every region of the
country covering CIS Football. Since 1958 the Football Reporters of
Canada (FRC) have been an organization of media members who have
covered the Canadian Football League, serving to select the
league’s outstanding players, coach-of-the-year and all-star
teams through voting conducted by its members. In 2009, the FRC
amalgamated with the University Football Reporters of Canada (UFRC)
to give the organization greater scope in its affiliation with
amateur and college football.

The FRC also works with the CFL and CIS to establish guidelines and
working conditions for the men and women who report on the game.
Selected members of the FRC also help to choose builders, players
and media members for induction into the Canadian Football Hall of
Fame.